434 Light-years
by SkyMochi
Summary: On a buisness trip, Meili comes upon a freak-show. Against the laws of society, she befriends them; and crazy things can happen once you break such laws. Historic AU, in the early 1900-1960s during WW2. Rating will go up as the chapters get more intense. Enjoy! u-u
1. Chapter 1- Blue and Yellow

Ok, this is going to be HongWan with several other pairings. This will also make /almost/ no sense if you haven't done basic studies on WW1. ( Japan is still in control of Taiwan, tensions are high in Europe etc.)

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A young Taiwanese girl held her bright red scarf close to her lips, the soft, thick cotton barely caressing them. The harsh wind pushed against her petite frame, almost knocking her over. She scurried quickly along the sidewalk, gripping her jacket snug. The weather was definitely normal for a winter's day. Surprisingly, not too much snow was present. Only a few clumps here and there from the weekend's small storm. Her footsteps echoed in the almost-barren town. Everyone was probably with their family and friends during this cold season drinking cider and nibbling on warm sugar cookies. Meili, on the other hand, had no one to turn to in the big city of London. She was strictly here only for business; to be the personal messenger for the Japanese man in charge of her very country. To relay his every word to the leaders in across land and sea. No time to enjoy silly little snacks. In her purse resided a manila enveloped addressed to a British man. There was no specific address where to deliver it, but Meili didn't need one. There was only one place where she could possibly find Arthur.

A sudden, strong gust passed as the the girl braced for impact. A large poster-sized image smacked right into her face, blinding her. Panicked, she scrambled to grab it, writhing around in fear of the darkness that enveloped her sense of sight. Mei ripped it off her face with a small sigh of relief. The paper was an ad for a freak-show. She gazed at it, curiosity sparking in her dark brown orbs. They were featuring a newly-caught mermaid. She blinked at the paper. It had a black-and-white drawing of a mermaid swirling around with a phoenix crown and makeup on it's face. Probably to make it look Chinese in some way. She snorted, a laugh barely escaping her lips. Her mood quickly changed as she continued to gaze at the print.

"Mermaid…" She thought out loud, raising an eyebrow. Meili ran her delicate fingers over the address of the freak-show, exposing them to the bitter cold.

_.The Adnan Freakshow presents a live mermaid! Caught off the Chinese coast and brought to Europe for your entertainment!_

_Buy your ticket now!_

_13 Billons Avenue_

_Chingford_

_London_

_E46BH_

Mei paused for a second.

_Chinese coast?_

The big, red letters tugged at something in her. Drawing her in. Numbly, she crammed the paper into her coat pocket. With each step, it crinkled against her slim body, hopefully it wouldn't tear. Her high heels left an imprint in the snow as she walked with a elegant speed towards the very address. It had left an imprint on her mind, unbeknownst to herself. Slowly, Meili began to walk faster. It was like something was calling out to her from the beyond, whispering into her ears gently, but with urgency. The moon, now deciding to show it's shy face through the clouds, illuminated the white-scarred street. Snow was now beginning to fall once more, some having the chance to rest their weary wings upon the chocolate locks of the seemingly-hypnotized girl. The soft ice clouded her vision as a colorful tent came into view.

Mei craned her neck up, looking at the blue-and-yellow tent. The main pole at the top stood tall, almost able to grab the star resting right above it. The North Star sat right above her, or as her co-worker referred to it, as Polaris. It shone brightly, like a lighthouse in the mix of navy and black; the others stood no chance of outshining it. She remembered of all the times he would tell her about it fondly, and with his trademark goofy smile...This was no time to be thinking about stupid things like that. The Taiwanese shook her head, clearing any thought of her friendly co-worker. She came closer to the entrance, hesitating to push the entrance flap aside. Dim light shone through the flap's crack, along with murmured chat in languages foreign to her ear. She stood there, half frozen, considering the idea of just walking in.

Thinking about it, she would end up paying for a ticket to get in or something similar; who could deny money nowadays? Mei pushed the flap aside, shielding her eyes from the bright light. A man with a mask glanced at her warily, a monotone expression glued to his face. He was sitting on a small stool, slumping over in a feeble attempt to keep awake.

"Two pounds for admission," he stared back at the curious messenger tiredly and let out a small yawn, only to quickly mumble an incoherent apology. It was late, and he would've probably been more cheerful if it wasn't ten o' clock in the night. Meili started to rummage through her small shoulder bag, and quickly fished out three coins, unaware of their individual values. She put it in his calloused hands carefully, letting the cold metal slide down from her equally cold palms.

"Keep the change," She spoke softly, forcing a smile onto her features. She stepped away from the man, holding her hands together in a desperate effort to keep any remaining warmth to herself. The man tipped his hat in silence, a grin barely escaping his poorly shaved face. Without any further hesitation, she jolted through the makeshift indoor tent door, entering a whole new world.

Cages were lined up on either side, creating a long hallway for paying customers. How it fit in the circular tent, she had no clue, but really didn't care. The area was dimly lit, only enough to read the podiums connected to the "freaks" cages. A new gramophone spun it's disc in a nearby corner slowly, playing it's continuous tune despite the frost that was starting to creep up upon it's base. Meili shivered, her small exhales coming out into shaky, visible breath. It seemed like she was alone in this dark circus-like room. Some lights flashed here and there, most just lightbulbs fizzing in and out. She came close to one of the cages and looked at the little description of what might lie behind the bars ahead.

It was supposed to be a cage for a younger man, with features as white as snow, eyes red like fiery blood itself. Mei had never heard of such a man before in her life. She touched the one of the cage's bar, still reading what the description had to tell her.

A stifled cry escaped her mouth as a pale hand grabbed hers tightly.

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Ah, I really enjoyed writing this chapter~! I'm so excited to introduce the little gang of "freaks" in the next one.


	2. Chapter 2- Spilled Whiskey

Mei pulled with all her weight backwards, clutching onto her arm in an attempt to break free from the stranger's grasp. The hand pulled back effortlessly, almost making the poor girl collide with the iron bars separating the two; the only thing that stopped her was her knees hitting the cold metal with a loud bang. The Taiwanese girl hissed Chinese profanity at the "freak", eying her bright red kneecaps that would probably be bruised or have a fracture. A mix of fear and some other emotion she couldn't identify washed over her now pale face. With a small choke to hold back the tears, she bent down and bit onto the light skin of the other person and staggered backwards into the dirty snow as he let go, her eyes staring forward like a frightened deer. The man let out a mix of a moan and hiss, collapsing to his side and into the view of Meili. He was curled up around his injured hand, cradling it like a broken treasure. His hair was a soiled milky white, falling upon his face messily in clumps around his soiled cotton undershirt. Meili stood up, trembling and clenching her fists to keep herself from crying in pain. Her knees hurt worse than hell as they throbbed uncontrollably, making it a challenge not to fall down. Mei also was a bit confused why the man would grab her so swiftly, but her train of thought was quickly interrupted.

Suddenly the man looked up, his eyes wide and full of a bitter sadness. As came closer from inside his cage, Meili flinched back, afraid that he would try to grab her again.

"I-I'm sorry fräulein. I didn't mean to startle you," he said softly, still holding onto his bitten hand. The podium had described the man well, except for one thing. His eyes weren't like fiery blood; they were like a gentle ember red, begging for any form of human compassion. It seemed like he was starved of it. He shuffled to the outermost part of the cage and held onto the bars with his good hand dangling out in a sad attempt to make an apologetic handshake. His red orbs stared back like a lost puppy. Meili shifted uncomfortably in her stance, not making eye contact in fear of insulting him with her pity. She pitied him to the point where an unfamiliar feeling came from. Hate. Mainly for the man in charge. A burning type of hate where you just want to throw a fit but end up doing so silently. No person should be treated as an animal like this man was. There would probably be others too, maybe in worse conditions. The thought made her head pound. Looking at the ground, she noticed glass shards. Meili felt lightheaded, and with the mix of the pounding it only made it worse. It was like nothing was real. All of it is just a nightmare.

"No, no, I should be saying sorry. I'm the one that bit you," Meili blurted out, rubbing her arm that was squeezed with no mercy. The Prussian had left a bruise that circled most of her forearm in a reddish ring that would later turn blue for sure. That was in no comparison of what might happen to Gilbert and the others, though. She just felt so bad for him, even if he truly was a bad person but hiding it, she didn't care. Looking around, she pulled her pocket watch out that her father had given to her. 22:00. Hopefully nobody would be worried why she returned home so late. Maybe only her good friend would notice. She looked at the bruise on her knees and the one slowly forming on her arm. No, everyone would notice if they were planning for her to see the duke's son tomorrow with the manila envelope.

"Gilbert."

"What?" She replied fuzzily, still half-way in her own thoughts.

"The name's Gilbert; I'd prefer Gil."

"Oh. Ok, Gil."

He cleared his throat awkwardly, glad for any type of human interaction that wasn't punishment. "Your name?"

"A-Ah yes! It's Meili, but please, call me Mei," she put a smile on, not wanting to appear blunt and distant. She reached out to his hand warily and Gilbert met it midway with a firm, yet gentle, shake. His hands were heavily calloused and ridden with scars. When Meili looked back up at him, a genuine smile shone through the grime on his face. It made her feel even worse on the inside. How could someone this loving towards a complete stranger, one who even bit him , be stuck in a horrid place like this? It pained the Taiwanese girl to see such a thing.

"Is their a reason you came here? I'm sure seeing me is already awesome enough, but you were going somewhere before I wanted to talk to you," he spoke quietly, as if their ruckus earlier was enough bother to the others. Suddenly the reason Meili came here sparked in her head once more.

"I almost forgot," she admitted, feeling guilty. She pulled out the flyer that attacked her earlier today and gave it to the Prussian. "I was wondering about the newer addition, the Chinese mermaid," Meili said, pointing at the pictures and text. The albino read over the ad and snorted, holding back a laugh.

"Mein Gott, they make him look like a girl.." Gilbert chuckled lightly, looking at the drawings of the mermaids. "Once I tell him this, he'll be so pissed." Gilbert grinned. Turning back to the topic, he replied coolly, "He's not really new anymore, I'm thinking it's been two months, but I'm not so sure," he spoke casually. "I'm pretty sure he'll be at the end of this hall. Just make sure you keep going straight, if you turn to the left you'll end up in the corner where the animals are kept. The lions, tigers, and a peacock I think, " Gil knew his way around well for seemingly not being able to get out of his little cell.

A loud, slurred moan was heard for the entrance where Meili came from. A few seconds later, a smashing of some wooden object. The thrashing was getting louder and so was the smell of alcohol. "You might want to do this tomorrow, though." he looked serious and calm." I don't want you to feel the wrath of a sleepy, drunken ringleader. Now go home," Gilbert said sternly, but full with care. "There's a nice big hole right behind my cage that I spent years slowly tearing at. You can crawl through there so you won't have to pass by him."

Images of her angry stepfather flooded back into her mind. The beatings. Her mother wailing in pain. His wild, furious eyes as he turned to her, reeking of alcohol. Her brother, with his brave, brave soul, sheltering her from the endless lashes, murmuring sweet nothings into her ear to drown out the chaos. Everything was just so vivid from so many years ago. All the memories with her brother were stained miserably. From his glittering eyes watching a red kite up in the sky replaced by the light fading from his brown orbs as they closed delicately on his beautiful face for the last time. His excessively long Christmas list drowned out by his detailed last will left on his desk. His sweet, high pitched laughter eaten by the agonizing screams of pure fear. And Meili could do nothing. Nothing but touch his face once more desperately, demand him, beg with him. Just to stay with her.

_"Shh, you're ok. Big brother Yao will protect you. Forever and always." _

The scenes played again and again, twisting her in an inescapable path with the endless onslaught of horrific memories.

"B-but..." She choked out, holding onto the frost-coated bars. The ice bit at her skin hungrily, but she didn't care anymore.

"Go home, Meili."

Meili looked down, the pain in her chest slowly churning into panic- for Gilbert mostly. He had no way of escaping. She wished that she would've found that poster earlier, but you can't change the past. Careful not to trip over a bucket, she gritted her teeth in pain as she jumped over a bucket full of dirty water. She turned back to the Prussian, her face solemn.

"Thank you," she murmured lightly, her voice numb. Before Gil could respond with something reassuring, she scurried out of the small hole and onto the snowy streets once more. She stood there, staring at the blue-and-yellow walls. Meili flinched once she heard drunken screaming and things being broken from the tent. She prayed the best for Gilbert and his unfortunate crew.

In that heartbeat, Meili decided that she would break all of those freaks free. If it wasn't for Gilbert, at least for Yao.

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Asdf- so much internal coflict. ;v;

I bet all of you guys knew it would be Prussia. xD So he is the first "freak", and there are 4-6 others.. *still currently working with the general script* I hope you guys enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it~!


	3. Chapter 3- Crab-apples

Meili gripped some sort of cloth closely, her hair tangled around her. A headache pounded in her temples and she sunk back into a white silken pillow, her head sinking in it. It smelled of sandalwood and a soft sort of aftershave-wait. She blinked a few times. That scent was familiar… Her eyes flew open as she jolted awake, sitting straight. A room laid out ahead of her, papers randomly punched into the various cork-boards sprawled out in a crooked manner. She squinted, adjusting to the harsh sunlight, only slightly softer through the thin navy curtains. The surrounding were familiar, but definitely not her own. A small curtain allowed hazy rays of sunshine to filter through, casting a light blue shadow on the whole room. The streets outside were already noisy with friendly car honks and the neighborhood children gathering for a early game of marbles. Their sweet giggles lit up the room. It was a cheery Saturday morning. No work. Mei turned to the bed-stand, massaging her head. Last night was foggy in her memory banks. She certainly remembered the albino man, but once she snuck out of the tent, everything turned black. The poor girl couldn't remember a thing after that.

A Tavannes pocket watch rested neatly the bed stand, beside a few prescription medication bottles. It was in an unusual opera-styled case that was filled with a goldish color. It's shiny surface distorted Mei's reflection. Her eyes reflected gently as she shuffled a bit closer to it. Only one person she knew owned such an expensive watch. She reached out to touch it but retreated quickly. The girl knew it's owner was very protective of that watch. On several occasions, he would even get mad. Oh, how tempted she was to open it and sneak a glance.

"Damn it, Meili. I wanted to wake you up," a man frowned, not noticing how close she was to the pocket watch. Mei gasped and retreated back, covering her face with the blanket instinctively. She peeked out after a moment. The man standing on the doorstep was in suspenders with a maroon colored tie loosely hanging around his neck. Casually, he leaned on the door frame with a cocky smile glued to his face. A curl bounced nearby, mimicking his expressions. Mei's ran a hand through her hair, letting out a sigh of relief. Thank God it was him; if it was anyone else, it would be beyond awkward.

"Ahh..you."

"Good-morning, darling," He purred. The young man got off the door frame and took a few steps closer, sitting at the foot of the bed. "Last night was a terrible snow storm. Great job on deciding to adventure on such a day," his tone was mocking, but slightly serious.

"Why were you even there? It's not like you fall asleep on a park bench everyday," He crossed his arms, taking a step closer to the bed.

"It was nothing, really," Meili replied coolly, not moving an inch.

"It had to be something, doll."

"I-I just went out for a little walk."

"Mhm. You know you were in the slums, right?"

"What r-really? I had no clue, ahah..."

"Meili, love, you're a terrible liar."

The Taiwanese sighed, pulling the blankets closer, as if they were a shield.

"How about I show you later, ok? Just drop it," she pleaded.

He rubbed his head with his hand. Clearly, he was worried. They weren't really a couple, but that was no excuse. Yong had promised Mei's older brother that he would protect her.

"_Now," he held the youngling's shoulder's firmly. "You watch over her, ok? She dies, I'll haunt your sorry ass," the Chinese boy hissed. Both of them were around the young age of fifteen, so swearing was common- when not in an adult's earshot. Im Yong Soo nodded back nervously. He had never been so intimidated by an equal this much before. "Get her out of the country in exactly fourteen days. I've scheduled a ferry to take you to India. Try to get a British train from there," his gaze was merciless. "Listen, you must escape the war. The Japanese will be coming anytime soon. Stay low, got it?" Yao snapped, his orbs narrowing. _

_"Y-yes." _

He tended to get overprotective most of the time, but it was all for good reason. Yong's mood suddenly changed.

"You promise to show me later? How much later?" There was an uneasy edge in his voice.

"Soon enough and surely today. Don't fret. It'll even be before dinner, if you'd like," she spoke smoothly, trying to calm her friend. He sounded much edgier than usual.

"I don't want you near that German base on the southwestern side," Yong's deep pitch was wavering.

"Mhm, let's head out for brunch maybe? Just to blow off some time," she sat up, pushing her long locks behind her left ear. If food wouldn't get him to stop worrying, what possibly could? You can think better on a full stomach, decided Meili.

"Sure, sure." It sounded like he was trying to distract himself. What if she was venturing close the base? Yong Soo was more worried about Meili than being strangled by a dead man.

"We'll leave in 30 minutes, is that enough for you, doll?"

"Yeah, I'll get ready then."

Im Yong Soo left silently, shutting the door with a click. The mood remained unusually somber. The two were never like this, unless one had made a bad mistake. Seeing the freaks was surely not a mistake, right? Mei slid off the bed, looking down at the polished wood flooring. She would have to tell him sometime, but should probably leave out her wild fantasy of breaking them free. Her eyes narrowed a bit out of drowsiness. With a stifled yawn, she trudged over to the bedside mirror, eying her reflection. Slowly she lifted up her arm. Upon it was a darkened ring. A horrible reminder of the abuse she's seen. It gave her mixed emotions, from the faraway past and the distant present. She sighed. Meili wished the mood from earlier would remain. That the mischievous smile wouldn't have to be eaten alive by Yong's current worried features. She rubbed the ends of her hair against her fingers gently, letting her eyes wander. On the windowsill was her matching flower pins with her bright red scarf folded underneath neatly. A small petal was laid on the very top, probably from the open window.

Shoot. Today was the first day. How could she possibly forget? With Meili's eyes wide, she scampered the folded pile of clothes that Yong was nice enough to arrange. She slipped her skirt on and buttoned it up. Slipping around in an insane manner, she somehow managed to get her light pink blouse on. Sliding back to the mirror with clips in hand, she quickly put them on, still making sure they looked nice.

She slammed the doors open.

Sure, it was a silly little tradition, but it's the little things that matter, right? In the center of the town, a park laid. At least a fifty crab-apple trees laid there roots there. All of them, miraculously, would bloom out of season. It was a sight to behold in the dead of winter. Their white petals would dance elegantly with their snowy partners on special years. Many people planning to hold weddings usually do it in that park. It had become the only safe zone for London lately, where people could escape the war's melancholy disease. The two friends had always made it a tradition to be arrive there on the first hour of the first day of their blooming.

Im Yong Soo also looked rushed. He held out two small sandwiches.

"Gaeran tost-u again?" Meili groaned, taking her breakfast. It was ok to complain, the two were practically siblings.

"Sorry, no time for brunch!" He held out a small white petal. His smile was back too. They both gave each other excited nods and dashed out the front door of Yong's apartment with no second thoughts. Both were suddenly sidetracked from more important matters.

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;v; Please forgive my sudden absence. I had to do many things the least fews weeks, and on top of that, I injured the whole right part of my body while running relays. It's gotten better, but it hurts my arm to type. ;_; Thank you for all the support! I really love how many reviews I'm getting, since I'm still pretty new to this website. Even if it's as simple as as a PM to update; it really makes me happy.

Crab-apple trees give off white petals, usually during the springtime.

Guaran tost-u is a simple Korean breakfast food. Think of it like an egg sandwich.

REMINDER: THIS IS A HONGWAN FIC, NOT A KOREWAN ONE. /absconds.


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